Two days after a lawsuit was filed to keep the issue off the ballot, supporters of an amendment to change the way political boundaries are drawn in the state filed petitions to put the measure before voters.

Yes for Independent Maps submitted petitions containing more than 532,000 signatures with the State Board of Elections Thursday that support an amendment to the state Constitution to minimize the influence of politics in drawing boundaries for legislative districts in Illinois.

The organization needs about 300,000 valid signatures for the measure to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot, assuming it can win the court challenge that's trying to keep it off.

The 1,300 pounds of petitions were hauled from Chicago to Springfield in a tractor-trailer, bound in a 27-foot-long box to conform to state election rules.

“This is a measure that will add independence, transparency and fairness to a broken, backroom system,” said Michael Kolenc, campaign manager for Yes for Independent Maps. “Now, voters across the state will have a chance to have their say on this matter.”

That isn't assured yet. Election authorities must still determine that the organizers have gathered enough valid signatures to qualify the amendment for the ballot.

The issue must also survive a court challenge that was filed even before the petitions were delivered in Springfield. The lawsuit argues that the remap proposal does not meet the conditions set out in the state Constitution for the amendment to be put before voters.

The proposed amendment would create a commission that would be in charge of drawing new district boundaries for lawmakers every 10 years. Currently, the process is in the hands of the major political parties, and critics contend districts are drawn to protect incumbent lawmakers and give one party an advantage.

The commission is intended to minimize the effects of politics in drawing the maps.

A provision of the proposal says commission members may not run for state office for 10 years after serving on the commission. The lawsuit says that changes the qualifications to run for office contained in the state Constitution, which makes the proposed amendment invalid.

“It is no surprise to us that the status quo has felt so threatened by this initiative, has felt so worried that their power is going to be taken, that they actually had to sue up before we put a single petition in this truck,” Kolenc said.

Kolenc said there is no doubt in his mind that House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who is also chairman of the state Democratic Party, is behind the court challenge. Madigan is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit. It was filed by Michael Kasper, who once served as Madigan's attorney in the House.

“The speaker's lawsuit was frivolous at best,” Kolenc said. “The legal team we have gathered … led everyone to believe this is constitutional and it will pass any constitutional scrutiny we face over the next few months.”

Page 2 of 2 - Kolenc said the organization will have the financial resources necessary to defend the proposed amendment in court and before any challenges the signatures might face at the Board of Elections.

On Wednesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner also filed petitions with the Board of Elections to bring a term-limits amendment to the fall ballot.

His measure would limit state lawmakers to eight years in office. It would also reduce the number of Senate seats and increase the number of House seats, as well as increase to two-thirds the vote required to override a bill veto.

Rauner's measure is also being challenged as part of the same lawsuit that was filed against the remap amendment. The lawsuit says the changes to the size of the legislature and veto-override requirement should not be coupled with the term-limit provision.